Football season is finally over, now what?

I’ve noticed various complaints and lamentations on Twitter today regarding the fact that, for the first Sunday since Labor Day weekend, there will be no NFL action.

I even resisted responding to a tweet from the official Steelers account that a “Sunday without football” is “[n]ot quite the same” by pointing out that the Steelers have had since December 30 to get used to it, because I (possibly) am better than that.

But here’s one thing to keep in mind, if you don’t like the fact that football is gone for the year. If you’re among those who don’t want the regular season to expand, you’re sort of wanting to have it both ways.

Indeed, if the regular season had grown by two weeks, the Pro Bowl would have been played today. And the Super Bowl would be happening next week, on President’s Day weekend. Even with a two-game preseason, the NFL’s interest in expanding the season by two weeks would still entail starting the 256-game grind (actually, 288) on the Thursday after Labor Day. Several years ago, the NFL realized that Labor Day weekend should be avoided, since TV viewership on the last unofficial weekend of summer is ridiculously low.

Thus, with an 18-game season, the real games would start when they currently do, and the postseason would stretch two weeks deeper into February. It’s one of the reasons NASCAR made plans two years ago to move the Daytona 500 away from the day on which the Super Bowl would fall.

It still could happen, given that executive V.P. of football operations Ray Anderson recently said that the 18-game season remains on the table. But the players are strongly opposed to the possibility, regardless of the potential financial gains.

Until it happens, if it ever does, we’ll have to find a way to get through the Sundays without football. But apart from watching other sports (like my distant second favorite, hockey), there’s still plenty of football to consume. Our traffic grows dramatically in the offseason, as fans search for any and all information about free agents and contracts and salary-cap compliance and the draft and offseason workouts and the inevitable arrests and everything else that happens before training camp opens.

We’ll be here, every step of the way, every day of the offseason. So even though there will be no games, there will still be plenty of football until the Ravens host whichever team they’ll be playing on Thursday, September 5.

If there were two more weeks in the football season, then the Super Bowl would fall dangerously close to Valentines day. All married men be doomed.

Is it just me? I’m happy football season is over. If you’re a big fan (and I’m assuming if you’re on this website reading this comment you are) then it can be so time consuming and sometimes stressful.

I enjoy the 16 (hopefully plus) games my team gets to play each year. After the season is over, I get to take a brake and actually do things my wife has been pestering me to do all fall long.

My Texans let me down at the end of the season..at least I have the Astros to cheer me up! Oh wait..

larrydavid7000 says:Feb 10, 2013 5:54 PM

I will be review all 10 victorys and analysis each game carefully. Thats 2 and half months of football which will take me in to May then training camp will be around the corner.

Ashley says:Feb 10, 2013 5:59 PM

I used to lament the fact that my team didn’t get as much off-season coverage as other teams. Then bountygate happened, and I realized just how foolish I was. And now we have this Ryan clown to generate coverage based on his propensity to say stupid things. *sigh*

upperdecker19 says:Feb 10, 2013 6:13 PM

I realized that my wife and kids still live in my home today……who knew?

Watch anyone in the NBA except the Lakers Because they are the Dallas Cowboys of the NBA and Whidley enough the San Antonio express newspaper referred to the Dallas Cowboys as the Kardashians of the NFL!!!

Go Oklahoma City thunder!!! They will win the championship and so that small-market teams in the NBA can win the way small-market football teams can!!!

Watch anyone in the NBA except the Lakers Because they are the Dallas Cowboys of the NBA and weirdly enough the San Antonio express newspaper referred to the Dallas Cowboys as the Kardashians of the NFL!!!

Go Oklahoma City thunder!!! They will win the championship and so that small-market teams in the NBA can win the way small-market football teams can!!!

macjacmccoy says:Feb 10, 2013 6:25 PM

I think your missing 1 very good reason why your traffic goes up in the offseason. And that is no team’s are losing. If a viewer comes to PFT often ,when his team wins he’s going to come no more and no less because even though their happy PFT isnt going to put out more stories so their is no reason to come more. But when a viewers team loses you better bet their average views are going down. Because after a loss that viewer is pissed and disgusted. He doesnt want to hear about his team and he especially doesnt want to hear someone else’s opinion of why his team isnt playing better. Especially someone who isnt also a fan of that team. So of course they arent going to come to PFT as often.

In the off season you dont have any of that. In the off season their is hope and if your team really doesnt have hope next season at least the embarrassment of the season before is over. So no one will feel compelled to avoid the site. Hence improved page views.

To answer your question, months of “The Browns aren’t going to try and trade for Mallet” other stories of what teams aren’t going to do, along with a post every few days speculating about which teams needs a new stadium and is in talks with L.A.

The is the worst weekend of the year for me, every year. I always have my “mini depression” RIGHT NOW.

At least tonight Walking Dead resumes its season and there is still Hockey. Also Super League Rugby Union is just around the corner (old Super 14 Rugby), which can be watched in HD on Ch.490-1 on DTV. And in two weeks we have at least the scouting combine. Further out is Arena Football, Draft and CFL.

But t he good news is, I have now time to work on home improvement projects.

I am going to write a book in the offseason, & watch my NHL team until the CFL season begins… but I think about football everyday, & looking forward to CFL/NFL drafts & free agency. I have analyzed my teams & know what needs to be done lol

bobzilla1001 says:Feb 10, 2013 8:12 PM

Hey, there’s still five more months of NBA and HHL!!!
Seriously, the length of the NFL season is perfect; it leaves you wanting more. An extended or expanded season would only lead to even worse teams vying for the playoffs than already do.
An expanded season would also lead to more Ray Lewis coverage. No mas!!!

As an Australian I get the best of both worlds. AFL preseason starts this weekend and the season runs through to the start October. My team rarely make the finals which start during the first week in September. So it’s all football, all year.

smithopher says:Feb 10, 2013 9:47 PM

Macjacmccoy, I agree with what you said except for one thing. The Jets always seem to be losing, even when they haven’t played in months. As a fan, it’s safe to say I shake my head in disapproval/disappointment at least once on most days. I have a feeling they will get even worse this offseason, possibly having tebow around again next season? Like, what? Really? We’re going to do that again? And trade revis? Not yet, if at all. Trade right before the trade deadline after he’s proven he’s back and is worth two first rounders. Ugh. It all starts with that Woody Johnson character though. He just wants headlines.

vegasvinnie says:Feb 10, 2013 9:57 PM

Times like these make me wish that Trump didn’t ruin the USFL.

rpiotr01 says:Feb 10, 2013 10:49 PM

People should have lives besides watching football. The answer isn’t more football games, it’s having more stuff to do besides football. Watch another sport, go for walks, read more, find a way to better yourself. Forget football for a few months, then before you know it, it’ll be time to get excited about training camp, cool weather, and fall Sundays watching America’s favorite sport.

fatguystrangler says:Feb 10, 2013 11:10 PM

One of the many reasons I love football is it always leaves you wanting more. Unlike the other pro leagues, the NFL regular season isn’t too long and drawn out, and half the league doesn’t make the playoffs. What to do in the off-season? I’ll play flag football, read a mock draft or three. And some Amish Mafia.

CKL says:Feb 11, 2013 12:44 AM

I hate the offseason (the WORST is the period after the draft until TC, it drags like a mofo) but I don’t want a longer season. And it is much easier with all the offseason coverage there is now. I didn’t have internet until 05 and I don’t know how I survived the offseason then.